I provide commentary on political economy, police and prosecutorial abuse, and whatever else might come to mind.
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24 (ESV)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Before Tonya Craft, there was Brad Wade

As I have noted before, the Tonya Craft trial did not occur in a vacuum. The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit has long made prosecution of alleged child molestation a top priority, and Ms. Craft was caught up in that web of deceit and prosecutorial misconduct.

Given the patchwork of lies that prosecutors Len Gregor and Chris Arnt had to put together in an unsuccessful attempt to throw Ms. Craft into prison for life, one would wonder why they believed they could convince a jury she was a child molester. I believe that the success the LMJC had in railroading Brad Wade into prison three years ago -- done pretty much under the radar, unlike the trial against Ms. Craft -- had much to do with the confidence that Buzz Franklin's office had as it rolled over the cliff.

I want to examine the conviction against Mr. Wade over a number of posts, investigating things like the dearth of evidence, the alliance of Gregor (who prosecuted the case) with "judge" Kristina Graham, and the utter dishonest testimony by Stacy Long of the (What else?) Children's Advocacy Center. However, in today's post, I want to explore what I absolutely believe to be true: Gregor never believed Wade had molested anyone, but pushed the trial anyway.

That is a terrible accusation to make against someone, I realize, and if I am wrong, I will have done a major wrong to Gregor. Because I cannot know what was going on in his mind during the trial, in the end all I can do is to surmise rather than have a definite answer. Nonetheless, from everything I can see and have been able to find, I am confident that although Len Gregor has not told me personally that he believed Brad Wade was innocent, nonetheless the facts of the case itself are such that it is hard to draw any other conclusion.

Unlike the case against Tonya Craft, there is the very real possibility that there WAS molestation of a young child. In fact, the three-year-old child who was the subject of part of the trial claimed "the boys" as doing things that clearly were molestation, yet the authorities were not interested. Furthermore, as we saw in the Craft case, there is other testimony from another child that differs wildly within a year's time, after constant questioning from (Who else?) Long.

Yet, why would Len Gregor and the LMJC go after Brad Wade instead of investigating what the child in question originally claimed? It seems to me that the answer is quite simple: there is nothing in it for Gregor if he goes after juveniles. The Big Prize for a prosecutor is to gain a conviction against an adult, not a teenager, and Gregor, who narcissistically refers to himself as "The Man," always likes to get the big enchilada, even if he must be dishonest to do it.

One thing "The Man" was able to do early was to have exculpatory evidence withheld on the basis of "rape shield" laws. Now, the "rape shield" laws were enacted not to keep exculpatory evidence out, but rather to keep the defense from delving into irrelevant aspects of a rape accuser's past. Unfortunately, prosecutors whose motto is "Win at all costs," have found ways to prop up questionable charges by scheming with judges (most of whom are former prosecutors themselves) to keep the jury from hearing information that could acquit someone.

Indeed, that is what happened in the trial against Mr. Wade. Gregor, as we shall see in upcoming posts, teamed with "judge" Kristina Graham to keep important information from the jury, information that certainly might have had an influence on a jury not to rush to the "guilty" verdict. There are a number of irregularities and incidents of misconduct, which would seem to fit any trial which "The Man" prosecuted, and future posts will examine them.

During the Tonya Craft trial, Gregor declared that Mr. Wade's mother, Glenda Shull, who often was in the courtroom, was not there because she cared about the fate of Ms. Craft, but rather "because she hates me." Indeed, after seeing how "The Man" railroaded her son and so many other innocent people, I don't think I would be surprised if Ms. Stull had some negative feelings toward this prosecutor.

(Mr. Wade's sister, Angie Granger, also was in attendance at the Tonya Craft trial, and her appearance also seemed to unnerve "The Man." She has been a tireless advocate for her brother, and one hopes that she will be able to see her brother vindicated.)

My purpose in writing on the Wade conviction is twofold. First, and most important, I believe that Mr. Wade was innocent of the charges and that Gregor either knew he was innocent or should have had his doubts about this case. Second, I want to demonstrate that the prosecutors in the LMJC are out of control and that their "win at all costs" mentality is destroying families, all in the name of "protecting the children," of course.

This is a very sad story. A man sits in prison, and lives are shattered. It did not begin with Tonya Craft, and I will be doing my best to show it does not end with her, either.

74 comments:

Lookout Spy
said...

Mr Anderson, you are doing great work. What people have taken for granted, is that the truth doesn't matter anymore in the LMJC. But, there's hope on the horizon now you have been shining a light on the interesting issues. Honestly you haven't heard half the procedural violations committed in the courts of the LMJC everyday, in civil as well as criminal matters. Unbelievable some of the things they pull with just a stroke of a pen and a kiss for the judge. As you've quite nicely described it, it's a private sandbox and the big kids own it.

Mr. Anderson, Georgia is not the only state this has happened in, concerning the "Childrens Advocates" or DFAC. It happens in Kentucky, I know for one other. I have a niece in State's Custody now, and she shouldn't be there.

Social Workers and a judge in 1995 placed her with me, because her bio-mother,(who wasn't to have her in her care) care was supposed to be with grandmother, allowed this 2year old child to be molested. After an investigation, they placed her with me, because I passed all their requirements.We tried to have them do a paternity test to see if she was my brothers child. In 1997, they finally did, and it turned out she was NOT. BUT after ALL this time we LOVED her as though she was.(I truly think she is and the test was WRONG).After they find out I'm NOT a 'so-called' relative, they STILL left her in my care.

When she war 10 years old, a judge and Social Workers, took her from me and gave her BACK to this bio-mom. AFTER she had just got out of prison for manslaughter. Eight years later, WITH NO CONTACT BETWEEN SHE AND I!

Took her from the only MOM she had ever known(me) and gave her up to a family she did not KNOW!

That is how DFAC's works in Kentucky....

It is a shame and it is CRIMINAL.

WE NEED TO SHUTDOWN cps, and the likes of them......Most of the time, they do more HARM than GOOD.

DFAC's should be put out of business. The only thing they are really good for is to hand out food and toys to families. Their investigating powers leave much to be desired. Seems DFAC's competes with the CAC in what they do for children. Maybe you could enlighten us on the true difference between the two and how they might be consolidated to streamline the care to children and families. But what strikes me right off in your article is the fact a three year spoke about "the boys" molesting/hurting him. Even a three year old child knows the difference between some "boys" and a man he probably knew.

I was thinking about the comment made by District Attrocity Buzz Lightfear about Tonya Craft getting off the hook for these "crimes" because she is a pretty white woman. While that is absolutely not the case here, there is some truth in that women almost never receive the same kind of punnishment for their crimes as do men. I believe this to be a latent form of sexism.

I believe that a woman can do pretty much anything a man can do, not better, not worse, but to whatever capacity that individual is capable. There are some things that men can do better than women and some things women can do better than men. But that is in general, and not in specific. My next door neighbor's daughter grew up to be a brilliant brain surgeon. My best friend (guy) is a nurse, and a damn fine one.

So, when women are not held accountable for their actions to the degree to which a man is, does that help or hinder the efforts of women to achieve equality with men? Women are looked down upon by many people as being incapable of controlling their emotions. They are considered more childlike/ish than men.

Case and point is Sandra Lamb. People here have been blaming her behavior towards Mr Echols during their rather unilateral altercation on her being a crazy woman. Women are expected to fly off the handle when it comes to their kids. If she really could not handle herself, why then did she not do to Mr Echols what she is now doing to the media (just keep the door shut and pretend nobody's at home)? No, no. She is not crazy.

All women don't just snap every time they feel uncomfortable. Some do, but so do some men. So, this further begs the question, why is she being treated by the authorities with velvet gloves? Is it because of her familial/friend connections? I don't believe so. If this were her husband caught on tape acting this way this would have been on national news, he would be in jail right now, money or not.

You see, when women are treated unequally with men like this, it does not help women. Rather, it hurts them. It causes people to take women less seriously. When a woman becomes passionate about something, that passion is shrugged off not as righteous indignation but rather as 'foolish femenine emotion.' I argue that every time a woman receives a lighter sentence because of her gender that gender equality is set back by years.

I just read a case about a 33 year old woman in Australia who admitted to having a months-long sexual relationship with a 14 year old girl. What sentence did she receive? A non-custodial sentence of unsupervised probation, an 18 month sex offender registration she must undergo therepy, and nothing else; no fine, no reprimand from the judge, nothing. She knew what she did was wrong, and yet she got off virtually scott free due to plea of deminished mental faculties.

They let women child molesters walk out of prison free because they have some kind of mental problem, but men are locked away for good. Why is that, because of a sexist view that men have mental faculties greater than that of women. This woman can go and do anything she wants, work with children, live next to a school, sign up for a myspace account, do whatever. And, there is nothing you can do to prevent her from preying upon your own daughter, because the press is not allowed to release her name.

One aspect of the whole Tonya Craft case I find interesting is that we have here a case where a woman was treated exactly like a man would have been in this situation, although it may be less likely that a man would have had nearly as many supporters. But, her treatment by the authorities was the same.

Throughout all of this there has not been a single word from any femenist, or women's rights group about her having her children ripped away and given to a philandering MALE ex-spouse. Lurid accusations were made about her sex life. She was treated like dirt. Yet, nothing from the femenist leaders who are supposed to be looking out for women. Why have they remained silent on Tonya Craft? It is because they know that everything she went through was what a man normally experiences, and experiences it because of systems and mentalities set in place due to their efforts. If they lamented the plight of Tonya Craft they would, in effect, be admitting that they were responsible for gross injustices.

So, Tonya Craft is really a hero. She has gone into the helfire experienced heretofore almost exclusively by men. She asked no favors, fought like a devildog, and came out on top. She showed that a woman can keep her cool, can act responsibly, and can overcome the odds, and she did it by going up against a system that was stacked against her, not by men but by women. That makes her a hero to all women and men. She will not win any laurels from femenists, because they know that they are the cause of this. But, people who believe in truth and equality (or as it says in our Pledge of Allegiane--"liberty and justice for all") know that she has done more to advance true equality for women than all the spoiled little girls in NOW who just want to whine about this and that but haven't accomplished a single stride for true equality since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

I know this a little bit off topic, but I want to relate something that came about as part of a discussion I had today relating to the Tonya Craft case and America's judicial system.

It seems to me that at the root of many of the problems we have relating to many issues relating to statutory law is inflexibility. Common law has a much greater flexibility when dealing with criminal acts than does statutory law. I was using the following situation to demonstrate:

Take a man who is 20 years old who is having a sexual relationship with a 16 year old female. In many states, under statutory law, the man has committed a felony crime. Those crimes usually take into account only two factors: 1) the fact that one is a minor and the other is not, and 2) the age difference between the two individuals.

By the sheer fact that he is above the age of consent whlie she is not, he is guilty of a crime punnishible by at least five years in prison, and depending upon the state, could be held liable not just for the relationship but for each time they had sex. If it was five times, that is twenty-five years in prison. That means, without parole, by the time he is released, he would have spent more than half his life in prison for having consentual sex.

Some states take into account that there is only a four year age difference. I recall that in Florida it was written to be the following: the minor is one day shy of 18th birthday, automatic 5 year prison sentence; the minor is under 17 and the adult is under 21, automatic ten year sentence; the minor is under 12 or the adult is over 25, automatic 15 year sentence.

So there are three tiers. Yet, in no way does it or any other age of consent statutory law that I know of take into account mental capacity of the minor. Some 16 year olds are more mature and able to make rational decisions than most 18, 21, even college senior age adults. Herein lies the problem. In the school district neighboring mine, last year there was a case where two female teachers were sent to prison for engacing in sex with the same male student. The case made national headlines. I have discussed this case with people who know all parties involved, including several professors in Weber State University's College of Education. All of them have told me that the boy in that case was not only very mature but was, in fact, the seducer. Now, it is ALWAYS wrong for a teacher and student to have a sexual relationship, mainly because of the power dynamics involved (in the business world it is called sexual harassment), and because it is a breach of the trust and authority that teacher has. However, the fact that someone is not yet 18 should not be the sole determining factor for whether or not a law has been broken.

The reasoning for these laws is flawed. The legislators who wrote them had a one size fits all mentality. As if a person goes to sleep on the eve of their 18th birthday and during the night the Consent Fairy comes into their room, sprinkles some dust on them, and when they wake up the have been magically endowed with the capacity to make an informed and mature decision. It is the same way with alcohol. The very day before my 21st birthday I was not allowed to purchase non-alcoholic beer at a Publix. How in the world could, in just 24 hours, my brain made the jump from being immature to mature enough to buy non-alcoholic beer? It doesn't. I was mature enough to make that decision when I was 19. How do I know? Because when I was 19 I was a participant in the International Air Cadet Exchange, and spent three weeks at the German Air Force Academy in Fuerstenfeldbrueck. When I was there, I did not go and binge drink and act foolishly and immaturely. While other participants, most of whom were in their 20s, did go out and get plastered nearly every night, I drank only occasionally, and not to excess. So, people over 21 demonstrated themselves not ready to make that decision, while some of us who were under 21 were more than mature enough.

How about driving? Is someone magically able to drive when they are 16, and not when they are 14? How about 18? I have relatives who grew up on South Georgia farms who drove their tractors, plowing and harvesting, starting at about age 10. I was driving go-carts at an early age, and when I was 14 was working towards my pilot's license. In fact, until about 1996, there was no minimum age to earn a pilot's license. Had I had the money to do so, I could have earned my pilot's license before my driver's license. How much more developed must the human mind be in order to properly operate an aircraft than an automobile?

So, statutory laws, by their sheer nature, nearly always end up unduly restricting freedom and liberty, and place people outside the law unnecessarilly when compared with common law. Remember that first example, the 20 year old man and 16 year old girl? Now, let us say that they have an argument and the girl pulls out a gun and shoots the man dead. Now, murder is an issue of common law. Under common law, because the perpetrator is a minor the authorities have two choices. They could either try the girl in juvenile court or try her as an adult in criminal court. Most of us would say that at 16 she should be tried as an adult, especially considering the heinous nature of the crime. In order to try her in criminal court they must first conduct a hearing to determine competency. So, before a trial is even conducted they must prove that the girl's mind has developed to a mature enough level. If it is determined that she is competent, then she will be tried as an adult.

Here is the rub. Declared competent to be tried as an adult for murder, under statutory law, she is still not competent to consent to sex. This is a dual standard that needs to be addressed. Statutory laws regarding arbitrary age thresholds need to be brought in line with common law's ability to determine competence. People often say, "Well, the adult is the more mature of the two." That is not always true, particularly in cases when both parties are close in age. When a younger person seduces an older person the true victim, under statutory law, becomes the criminal, and the true victimizer becomes the victim.

Up becomes down, light becomes dark, and right becomes wrong. This is exactly the kind of thing the Bible warns us about. God despises people who do this. So, if we are wondering why God no-longer blesses this nation the way it was in the past, it is more because we have allowed such things to occur in our systems of justice than for anything relating to what some church in Kansas could argue.

Lame, love your analogy about hardline feminists jumping up to protest Tonya's treatment. The truth of the matter is, women every day experience injustices as bad or worse and like Tonya, we fight like those men and prove what we need to then keep our femininity as we proceed to the next chapter in our lives. The raw deal served to Tonya is as Bill says, not the end nor was Brad Wade the beginning. This link: http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12549044 is about a man, not a particularly handsome man, but a man unjustly accused of child molestation. He fought instead of taking a plea. A Whitfield County jury found him innocent of all charges but to this day, 14 years after the face, this man can't get a job in his chosen field, teaching. Why? Because in GA, not matter your guilt or innocence, your criminal record remains in the system to haunt you for any type of job where a background check is necessary. Yes, this is Consaugua (sp?) Judicial Circuit but the circumstances not only match a lot of the same players were there.Bill, have you heard about any cases like this occurring prior to Buzz' election to district attorney? Brad Wade is right at the beginning. Tonya Craft is right as Buzz is preparing to leave the DA's office for a judge seat. One might wonder if our 'esteemed' DA didn't have this plan in mind all along. I've tried getting crime statistics by county and criminal act but haven't located the right link yet. (Never fear, as anyone who knew me in the Air Force can tell you, a pit bull bearing down on a smaller animal has nothing on me when I want information. It might take me a while but I will find it!) Buzz is a politician, from the moment he decided to become a lawyer and go into the district attorney's office. No one takes that job for the money, it simply isn't there. Or it wasn't until the feds started handing out money for certain types of crimes like candy on Halloween night. I believe both Brad and Tonya found their lives wrecked for one reason and one reason only, to further the political careers of men and women determined to wield power over a group of people they have no respect for. To those in charge of our judicial system and all their lackeys, we are nothing more than trailer park trash, people not worth their time unless they are trying to shove us into jail. Well, look in the mirror boys and girls, you'll find your trailer park trash.

KC, you're an Air Force vet? I knew there was something I liked about you. I was never in the Air Force proper, they wouldn't take me, since I have a minor case of psoriais. Still, I served 8 years in the Civil Air Patrol, and was at one time the top cadet in Florida Wing. Not being allowed to serve in this nation's military was one of the greatest disappointments of my life. I'm the last male Turner of my line and the only to not serve in the military. I can honestly empathise with those men who wished to serve in WWII but were turned away.

I think you are partially right. The people whose cases we have been discussing had their lives ruined by people whose goal was to advance their career. However, I believe there was another, equally culpable group, those who without a political agenda who wanted revenge or money as a result of wrongfully accusing someone else of a crime. Those people, in my opinion, are just as guilty of ruining people's lives. They acted with depraved indifference, knowing what their accusations would do, but went ahead with their plans because out of that ruined life they would gain personal emotional satisfaction. To paraphrase the Godfather, for Buzzlightfear, it was nothing personal, just business. With Sandra Lamb and Sherri Wilson, it wasn't business, it was personal. Two groups, two different agendas, both equally responsible.

I look forward to a book from Tonya, then a movie about all this. Meantime I hope Dateline NBC is gathering info to include Wade's story.I see BIG changes in the LMJD from the top down. BLC will likely come out or retirement.Those who know competent therapist need to ask them to consider coming to this area.I wish someone would inquire to the authorities in Atlanta to see if they will respond to letters of complaint about these court cases.Looks like this area will soon be a boom town for lawyers.Buzz wants to be a judge? Wow.BwawHAHAHhWAHAHAHA

One thing that bothers me is that now, even those who were convicted and really were/are guilty are all going to be screaming, I was innocent too. It will give fuel for people like Eddie Bomar and his kool-aid drinking followers to say he was railroaded. Shame on you Len Gregor and your fellow idiots for making all of your convictions suspect!!!

While I am completely sure of Tonya's innocence and now Brads, please everyone know that they did actually convict some real molestors!!

Catoosa County has not slowed their arresting of child molesters as Buzz and the Sheriff Summers feared. According to the crime blotter in the Catoosa County News, there have been 3 people arrested for molestation in the first weeks of May.

That is a good question, and I mean that in all seriousness, as I have wondered that myself. The problem is that they run such railroads in the LMJC that one cannot trust the prosecution at all.

We know from just plain probability that across the board, most people charged with crimes are guilty, at least in state court, and even in federal court, at least when it comes to "crimes" involving drugs. Most likely, it would be the same in the LMJC, too.

However, the way that the system is run, and the utter corruption we have seen not just in the Tonya Craft and Brad Wade cases, but in others, too, taints ALL convictions, even those that are legitimate.

This is what happens when people lose a moral compass, and when they get to a point in life in which they enjoy the fact that they can use the trappings of the law in order to pursue lawlessness. There is fun in being able to get away with outrageous things and not have to pay any price for it. I think that is what we are seeing here.

CPS all over the US have made really terrible judgement calls. From removing children from a safe environment and placing them with an unfit parent all because they are "biological" to allowing children to be tortured and killed in "foster" care.

That said, there are many caring and capable folks in these Cps organizations who want to help and do so with care. However, when you give anyone such broad range of power, you have ego driven abuse. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of cases that mirror the Anon post above from every state.

Once again, this goes back to over sight. Who has it? If there is such an entity, why are they not stepping up and locking down on these folks?

As to Long, Thorne, Evans and Kittle, ANY and I mean ANY case in which they were the interviewer/counselor should be pulled and reviewed by an IMPARTIAL (bring them in from another state far far away) 5 person committee of Degree and certification holding professionals including Physician, Law enforcement, Psychiatrist, Forensic Nurse, and a member of the FBI Behavioral Unit (child specialist). Have the CAC, Sheriffs office AND the DA stipulate to their findings.

NO Da's or member of a prosecution driven professional may be on the board.

I know that Catoosa County has child abuse, every county does. I know there are really nasty humans out there who abuse children in every way possible and I also know they need to be caught and put away. BUT when you become agenda and world view drive ie every child who accuses is telling the truth or every woman who claims rape, was, you then create criminal activity where none exists.

maybe something good will come out of this case nationwide! At Lame, I agree, I am guilty of thinking at first hearing about a man he did it, but that is because I have a child that was molested, and DFCS didn't do anything to the man! 17 years later, if I wanted to make her discuss it, her story would be the same! She has a baby girl now, and is struggling with what to do about a babysitter while she returns to school. I am the only one that keeps the baby while she works now, but once she returns to school full time I will be unable to keep her... Her exact words were "you trusted someone you knew with me and my brother and look what happened to us". it is a sad world we live it.

That being said, after this case, I now have a new outlook on these "charges" as reported on the news! My mindset now is show me PROOF! 100% Proof, not some made up story!

Lame, yes, a vet. 11 years. Got out after the whole mess with my kids back in the eighties. Husband's also a vet. And sometimes, I think, the military way of handling situations like this works best. Yes, their system is guilty until proven innocent, but...and this is a huge but...while I served, I didn't see many people actually go to court martial without overwhelming evidence of their guilt. The Navy SEAL case was different, with political pressure forcing the trials, but the right verdicts came out of it. I believe the local jurisdictions should retrain to the same evidence gathering methods used in the military, where everything is checked prior to even speaking to the parties involved (my experience with a rather nasty case on a base in Germany). Then, and only then, without any expectation of a reward from anyone for testifying or providing evidence, the case should go forward. The lack of a reward will take away some of the greedier folks. The power driven folks are everywhere but they can go away by having a review board prior to grand jury, arrest, and trial, one that looks over what evidence they have, how it was gathered, and the probability of it proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Oh yeah, those in charge will scream they're doing a fine job without all these 'dumb' civilians messing up their conviction rate. A civilian I am now. Dumb I am not. Nor are many other people I know. All it would take is being able to read and understand the rules. I bet there are more folks out there able to do that than those in LMJC will credit.

Mr. Anderson, Thank you so much for continuing the LMJC story with Mr. Wade. I met his mother at the trial-really nice people. They will recieve the same support from me and many others. So, please keep up the great work and let us know what else can be done to help Mr. Wade

Anyone on here who knows what the statue of limitations is on filing a lawsuit against these people when they have falsely accuses someone? I have heard two years, but is that two years from when the charges are made, or two years from when a conviction or charges dropped occurs??

Yes lives are being shattered because once you are a convicted child molester you are a registered sex offender for life! It's the only crime you pay for for the rest of your life whether you are guilty or not.

I don't understand it. My father (a Pediatrician) has to push DCF to investigate when he sees clear and persistent signs of physical abuse and the same organization freaks out at volunteers if they hug a kid back. (I was a high school student at the time, and if a kid hugged us we were supposed to be rigid and unresponsive. That's a way to create alienated kids).

Is the world upside down? Freaking out about child molesters in their minds while ignoring the kids who eventually get beaten to death?

Maybe the family of Mr. Wade should set up a website to get the facts out there and contact information so that anyone who is able to help and have access to information. I for one, am interested in knowing the facts of that case, given what we know in Tonya's case.

Not sure if this is the case in all states but in some IMO there is a problem with school counselors. These people typically are not licensed counselors but are staff teachers that MAY have taken some course etc. and I'm sure (as I have worked with them) that they aren't trained in the proper procedure for questioning children as we saw during the Craft trial. These teacher/counselors will not tell parents any information given to them by their children. I did have an issue with this in that children may tell the school counselor that they are involved in sexual activity or drugs etc and the parents will be the ones that have to deal with the fallout. The counselor can refer the children to a school based clinic for contraceptives or further counseling without parents consent or knowledge. This to me is problematic.

@Kerwyn - To your point about CPS - When I was 6 I broke my arm doing something I was specifically instructed earlier that day NOT to do (climbing on to the roof of the old ranch-hands delapitated house - I fell through the roof, attic and on to the floor - it was rotted). I was a good kid and I knew I blew it and would be in trouble. Crying with a broken arm, my 6 year old cousin and I conspired a made-up story about what happened. The fear of disappointing my mom for disobeying her so blatently which was far out of character for me motivated me to lie. I walked inside the house crying to show my mom my broken arm, she rushed me to the hospital - on the way through sobbing tears I told her our fabricated story and she bought it completely. Our story was that I had climbed on to the back of the work truck parked by the house that had a 5th wheel trailer on it, hit my head on the trailer and fell off the back of the truck. Once at the hospital, I recited my now rehersed story for the doc/nurses - who didn't buy it. They noticed all of the bruises now starting to show on my face, the scrapes, and most of all the fear in my eyes of being caught in my lie for which my cousin and I were invested. Questioning me further on how I got this bruise or that scrape - all of which I would just answer, "I don't know". My mother was being questioned as well. She believed, and stuck to the story I had fed her even while the Med staff made it clear of thier suspicion of her hurting me intentionally. CPS was called in. They had a toy and proceeded to ask me if I ever get in trouble - to which I answered "yes, a lot" - which of course was a lie. In my young mind I was hoping that somehow that would gain me sympathy and they would stop pressing me and my mom about how I broke my arm and just accept my lie. The CPS person proceeded to ask me, 'when you get in trouble, does your mom spank you?' The THREAT of a spanking ALWAYS existed in our house, however the TRUTH was that throughout my whole life, I was never spanked, not once - never. I was still working the sympathy angle, so I told the CPS person, 'I would get spanked' if I got in trouble. Looking beaten with a nasty bruise on my face, having fallen through the roof and attic resulting in lots of little bruises and scrapes on my arms, this was the wrong answer to tell the CPS. At this point, they were convinced that my MOM was forcing me to lie to them and that she - or someone she knew of - had beaten me as they didnt buy my truck story. So they kept us apart for about 6 hours while they did more interviews, etc. Eventually the police came. My mother continued to insist no one had hurt my and believed my story. Fortunately, enough of our hired ranch-help who lived on the farm with us and family had arrived at this point to convince them that I was not in fact an abused child - or at least I would still be safe being released to my mother and grandparents. So they finally let it go. For a very long time after that we had CPS come and check in on me.

I stuck to that lie for many years. Not until I was 17 and graduating high school - and only then it came out because my cousin accidentally alluded to it in front of my mother after rushing a close friend of ours to the hospital for a broken arm after he stupidly fell off of a roof and broke his arm. She actually had a little tears over it because the grief it caused at the time, but then it turned all in to a good laugh. She then related the portion about how I was almost taken my CPS and charges filed against her and so on which I never fully knew about and didn't actually fully appreciate until I became a parent.

CPS did thier job, but I can see how easily this could have gone badly for us.

I agree. A few years ago they did their job better. Nowadays they just do not care. For the most part, it is MONEY motivated, like everything else.

They have Senior Associates who collude with what is done in their district, and so on, all the way to the top. Then there is NO top, because they COVER their actions, or inactions.

It is an ongoing cycle and our children are severely debilitated by it. Emotionally, physically, and mentally.

I do not know of a worse feeling, than having to let Social Workers take away your child(or one you have cared for and nurtured) with both parties CRYING and emotionally distraught, for no reason, other than: because WE SAID SO.

Yes we have contacted the innocence project, but they deal with DNA cases only. There is no DNA evidence in my brother's case either way. I do not know how to set up a webpage but I will learn as quick as I can. So any info that anyone who wants to help, needs is available to them. my email address granger6112@comcast.net. If you want to contact me directly. Thanks to Mr. Anderson and his knowledge on how these things are done. We are in appeals court and our case has been filed with them since Nov. 2009. We have not heard anything yet. Don't know how long this process takes. We filed our first appeal right there in Dade Co. with judge Connelly Graham, she lost the record for 8 months and then she ruled no new trial. Our atty had to threaten to file a mandamus, then they found our record. It was apparently in Fla. with judge Connelly Graham's sec. for all that time. We would also like to know how judge Connelly Graham ruled on the case without even looking at the appeal, which was in Fla. ????? Lots of questions!!! We will take any help we can get to fight these awful ppl!!!!! Angie Granger. The very proud sister of Brad Wade!!!

Hi Angie - I wish you the very best with your brothers appeal!! I sadden to hear that the innocence project in your area is only looking at DNA cases. They do great work and I suspect they are so overwhelmed with requests because so many people are wronged by the system that their resources can only be spread so thin.

I look forward to learning more about your brothers case and if you get a defense fund set up I would be happy to kick in a few bucks within my budget.

Sister, check out Centurion Ministries. It's a NJ based organization that takes all types of wrongful convictions, not just DNA.

Obviously there are positives and negatives for the Innocence Project to just focus on DNA, but in my opinion the positives far outweigh any negative. There's very little money, and the focus on DNA helps avoid the charges by critics that attorneys are just trying to get the wrongfully convicted off on technicalities.

You're brother will find justice eventually, but these things take time, especially when you have slackers such as Judge Graham in charge.

calliestarnes On the phone w/ North GA lawmakers for last hour. All say #TonyaCraft case sheds light on expungment laws, might be time to revist. ***********************Alright, people, we need to get those e-mails, phone calls, letters going to our lawmakers right now while the Tonya Craft case is fresh on their minds. They need to hear from us, and on a large scale, to let them know that this is important to us. Get those e-mails, facebook comments, phone calls and letters going. Let's get this going.

Can Mr. Wade have mail in prison? Maybe if we all write to him too to let him know we're behind him it will lift his spirits???? I don't really know much about prison life as far as what they know of the outside. Is he aware of the happenings in Tonya's case? I know it must be hard to maintain any semblance of hope. Why in the world was his file allowed to go to FL? That is scary! I am assuming because he is convicted he has no right to privacy? Did someone just throw the file in their car and go on vacation or something? That is horrible! Well, I can honestly say that I'm in it to shout from the rooftops and look forward to hearing more of the story. I hope we can help him.

My children are all teenagers and told cps that they are absolutely safe in our home. But they feel it's better for them to be alone all day and not go to church if I can't go because of my job, then being with my husband who's also being falsely accused.

In response to the person who asked if inmates can receive mail. Yes. I have a family member in and I understand that there are restrictions on what is sent. No rable rousing letters. You need to know his name inmate number and an address. Apparently the mail is reviewed before being given to the inmate so do be wise in what you say in support. Contact the sister for any specifics for Mr. Wade. Chris

let's throw a great big fourth of july cookout in honor of tonya and her incredible team of supporters... we can serve LAMBchops as our main entree... and bring in MCDONALD's for those who don't like LAMB. (count me in that group..) and for fun, we can throw some WILSONs back and forth over a volleyball net!please let the ada's know they ARNT invited! (we wouldn't want any false accusations of inappropriate HENKE penke!) that goes for lenny, squiggy, buzz lightyear and woody. because you know what they say... IF YOU WORK FOR THE LMJC, YOU MIGHT BE AN A--HOLE!

I have agreed with the majority of the posts I have read on this blog and I was pulling for that "not guilty" verdict as much as anybody else but it really upsets me that the very people who are claiming Tonya was "railroaded" or "guilty until proven innocent" are doing the same thing to all those folks who work in the LMJC who have nothing to do with any of the agencies involved in this case. People need to understand the LMJC is not just the DA's office or Judge's office. There are some very dedicated and hardworking people in this circuit who work hard every day, in very stressful & low paying jobs, just because they want to make a difference. It is truly unfair that a few bad apples have ruined the image of the whole circuit and when you lump everyone in the same category and start accusing, you are no better than Tonya's accusers because you are accusing innocent people of corruption, being self-serving and power hungry. You really need to think about that before you start accusing and gossip girl...everyone who works for the LMJC is not an a--hole...just another false allegation!!!

This really has nothing to do with the blog entry but seems they've cancelled court in Walker Co because they have "disposed" of so many cases.

Officially: No Third Week Of Court!

There will be no need for a third week of Walker Criminal Jury trials, so the presiding judge has cancelled the third week of court. Kudos go out to all those involved in pleading out, dismissing, continuing or otherwise disposing of so many cases on this docket.

This has nothing to do with anything,other than the affect teachers do have on us .I should say BAD teachers. About 25 years ago I was at Rossville Jr.High.I had a mean & horrible teacher named Jeff Wright.Late in the school year my oldest sister went into early labor,it was a surprise,it was not good.It shocked to the whole family.We all thought my sister & her baby would

die.Sorry for a second part.The situation was so scary my parents they took me out of school for one day.When I came back after missing only missing one day Mr.Jeff Wright gave me a zero.I was in shock.After all of these years this still bothers me.To my surprise his youngest child goes to school at Chickamauga with my child.To this day I cannot look at him.It is trurly amazing that things that happen to you as a kid stay with you forever.Bad teachers never leave you.

you said, "and gossip girl...everyone who works for the LMJC is not an a--hole...just another false allegation!!!"

have you ever heard, there is truth in jest?my statement, although meant as humorous, was indeed factual. i believe my statement was, IF you work for the LMJC, you MIGHT be an A--HOLE!

those associated with the LMJC who were involved with the prosecution of tonya craft were in fact, A--HOLES! they proved that to us over and over and over again for TWO YEARS! and when they saw how well that worked for them, they continued throughout 22 days of trial while the media (thank GOD!) watched and listened and reported to the public what exactly they were doing to an innocent woman!

you think that they are not A--HOLES for what they did to tonya? well, then you might just be one too.

It is difficult to continuously write ALL the names of those at the LMJC that fail the smell test and those we suspect to be stinkers.

PLEASE NOTICE ALL OF MY COMMENTS

Just for MY convenience, I have to admit that I've used "LMJC" to identify those who contribute to that terrible judicial system, but please be aware that I have ALWAYS listed all the LMJC employees which have stepped forward to correct this problem within the last 10 years, and for your convenience you can find all listed immediately below;

I just watched the Channel Slime story, and in a 2:47 minute story managed to say absolutely nothing of substance. They kept working in circles, but never hit at the heart of the issue, does she have a case? The professor at one point started to say something about that, but they cut him off mid-sentance and never re-visited the issue.

Slime, slime, slime. How is it that the one channel that is doing a good job reporting this affair is affilliated with the most liberal and untruthful of networks, NBC, and the one doing the worst job is owned by Disney?

This is exactly what I was talking about when I said that lawmakers who create statutory law never take into account anything other than creating an arbitrary threshold. The same goes for speed limits, truancy laws (relating to when a person can and cannot decide any more whether to go to school), child labor laws, et cetera. About the only statutory law in which a threshold is affixed that I can think of at this moment that is proper are drink-driving laws. The blood-alcohol limit is something that is rooted in proven scientific research, and the blood-alcohol level is roughly the same for all people when it comes to a point where judgement becomes impaired. People who are larger can drink more before reaching the threshold than people with a smaller body mass. But we all become drunk when our blood contains a certain amount of alcohol.

kdp..Something must be wrong with your computer. The 10 names listed were missing identification.Seriously, I do say that not ALL the employees are corrupt. Likey several of them think they may be folling the "law." Maybe clerks, low level employees,even including poor old House.I just still cannot get over his statement when asked of the allegations DLO made in the press conference.He replied something extremely revealing when he said, "I don't know what he's talking about." And you know, I wonder if he still has any clue that he was the judge vs. the 3rd member of the prosecution. Wow!

To gossip girl: Actually, I happen to agree that many of the players in this farce of a trial were obviously exactly what you claim, however, that does not mean the whole circuit is bad. That is my point!!! It is kind of like saying if 1 teacher is bad, they must all be bad or if 1 lawyer is bad, they must all be bad or whatever your profession may be...must all be bad. At least the majority of the people who work to "serve" the citizens of this circuit have worked hard to do exactly that...serve...and I would hate for the general public to get the wrong idea of the "whole" circuit because people are lumping everyone into the "bad" category. Just imagine a community without all those resources that our local government provides on a daily basis, probably many that you aren't even aware of. Our citizens should feel that if they have a need (Medicaid, Medicare, child support, child care assistance, job assistance, protection from abusers,just to name a few), they can turn to their local government for help and not feel abandoned because of comments like I have read on this blog. I am not trying to attack anyone, just want you to be aware that you could really be doing damage to the public view of the great resources that are available...to all LMJC citizens.

Jason, I never in my life thought I'd stick up for used car salesmen, but these people are worse even than them. It's one thing to sell you a lemon, but to sell you a lemon and then put you in prison for ten years for trying to get the car fixed...I think even bin laden would say these guys are evil.

Jason S and Lame: Obviously, my post was way over your head because you missed the whole point...It is obvious you've never been a single parent trying to raise children and needing help, or a grandparent raising grandchildren to keep them out of foster care because the parents are in prison, or an elderly person needing medical coverage..or you would understand what I am talking about. Has nothing to do with prosecutors!!! No need to respond...I'm done with you guys...

Anon, I apologize. I misread Jason's post. I thought he was talking about just those involved in this case--those who framed Ms Craft. I'm sure there are a few people who work for LMJC who aren't horrible people. Still, even so, those good people who work there must know that there are bad things going on, and yet they do nothing to stop them. We say that anyone who was ever a member of the SS was evil, because even if they didn't actively kill Jews, they had collective guilt. Well, in a way all of LMJC has some collective guilt; nothing to the extent of the SS, of course. So, when I was saying that "these people" were more evil than bin laden, I didn't mean people who weren't involved with the case. Those are the truly evil people. The other people, those who work for them but who don't participate in anything bad, while wrong and carry a degree of collective guilt, are not deserving of being called "evil." So, for that mistake, I apologize. I do not apologize for saying that Arnt, Gregor, Buzz Lightfear, Deal and others are "evil."

I have had a CPS case open since may of last year and now they are taking me to court on the 14th of july for emergency removal of my kids based on false alligations of my home. I have no money to hire a lwayer to fight my case and have no idea where to find information to help. Please Tonya Craft or anyone with information to help contact me Heather Craft @ mrshmcraft@hotmail.com I need help before they tear my family apart over lies.PLEASE HELP?!!!

About Me

I teach economics at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland. We are located on the Allegheny Plateau, and we have cool summers and tough winters.
I am the single father of five children, four of them adopted from overseas and I have two grandchildren. My family and I are members of Faith Presbyterian Church (PCA).